PQ hopefuls want strict spending caps on leadership campaign

The Parti Quebecois has yet to decide exactly how it will choose its new leader, but would-be candidates say there must be a level playing field.

Alexandre Cloutier, the MNA for Lac-Saint-Jean, wants to see spending limits for the campaign lowered to $250,000, and to see a donation limit of $200 per person.

He said it's the only way to make sure MNAs with debt will be able to take part when competing with millionaires.

"It has nothing to do with Mr. Peladeau. We want him to participate in the debate, we are very happy to have him in the Parti Quebecois," said Cloutier.

"What we don't want is candidates like me who have a mortgage to pay and if you ask people like me to get half a million dollars tomorrow that means we may have problems to participate in the debate."

Bernard Drainville, the man behind the highly divisive Charter of Values, agrees with Cloutier that there is no need to spend tremendous amounts of cash to become leader of the PQ.

As Minister of Democratic Institutions, Drainville also set the donation limit for leadership campaigns at $500, but now says that is too high.

"It will not be money but the strength of ideas and the strength of leadership that is going to make the difference in this leadership race," said Drainville.

Nobody has officially declared they will run to become leader of the separatist party, but Drainville and Jean-Francois Lisée have both expressed an interest, with Lisée saying it wouldbe a logical next step in his career.

Media mogul and MNA Peladeau has kept quiet about his leadership notions, telling reporters Wednesday that it was "premature."

Peladeau is still recovering from a bicycling crash earlier this summer where he broke several bones.

Previous leader Pauline Marois announced her resignation as leader of the party the night of the April 7 election, which saw her party go from running an 18-month minority government to the ranks of the opposition, with its lowest percentage of voting support in decades.

The PQ is expected to announce rules for its leadership campaign in early October.